Just Food: Where Locavores Get It Wrong And How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
McWilliams takes down the environmentalist's sacred cows of food miles, organic, and grass-fed, and redeems the often demonized GMO foods and aquaculture, all in the name of finding a better way to evaluate the sustainability of global food production. When he finally gets down to the nuts and bolts of his argument it is solid, well-researched, and well-referenced. However, his writing still is a little tedious and simplistic. He restates his argument multiple times before offering details. He states his conclusions before finishing his argument. I would suggest skipping the introduction and conclusion chapters altogether, as the contain no information not covered in the body of the book. This is the style of persuasive essay I was taught in school that I never liked - why keep reading if the first paragraph summarizes everything one plans to say later? Still, the material is compelling - this book is important if only to skim and mine for references to better-written books and articles. McWilliams' standard journalistic style my be more engaging in his short articles and essays. Goodreads Just Food four starsI applaud this book. I thought because it was a few years old it would be outdated. Much to the contrary. It is a must read for anyone who claims to try to eat eco-responsibly. McWilliams is definitely the Skeptical Environmentalist of the food world, asking the tough questions and weighing a debate that should happen.If you did not know that the world suddenly switching to a completely organic and localized food system on a global scale would result in mass starvation, then read this book. Even if you were lucky enough to read about the Green Revolution or better yet hear about farming from the Great Depression to today from farmer Gramps himself, you are still bound to learn a great deal. Food will never be “just food.” It’s been made into a business like all things that should not be a business, like healthcare, education and the American “justice system.” As a result of being run on a capitalist system in a country plagued with oligarchy, (psst Monsanto anyone?) it’s forced to play by our rules in neo-colonialization aka globalization, pitching deals with the IMF and begging Senator Rand Paul not to pull international charitable funds. Books such as this force people to look at your collective individual responsibility and hold our nation accountable for its actions. There are no facile solutions. You can’t just buy local and have a small garden. It’s not about signing petitions against certain insecticides that hurt bees or protesting a third world nations gift of genetically modified rice. And sure you can eat less meat, but be sure to get those B12 injections. lol. The whole system must change, our system built on the finite resource of fossil fuels, before we can see some real changes, but until then, stop with all the buzz words you hipsters. I’m not buying what you’re saying, literally.
What do You think about Just Food: Where Locavores Get It Wrong And How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly (2009)?
He makes some interesting points, but they are rather lost in the poor writing/editing.
—bubbles1
Lots of good information that really got me thinking.
—amadokf
Inspired my trip to fish for Murray carp!
—universaldodo
